Responses to 'Reflecting on Coach Griffin' - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Athletics

Skip To Main Content

The Official Athletics Website of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Engineers Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Engineers Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

RPI

Engineers

Responses to 'Reflecting on Coach Griffin'

Name	Chris Downs
Relationship to Coach Griffin	Friend and league colleague.
RPI Class Year (if applicable)
One word that best describes Coach Griffin...	Mentor
A Most Memorable Moment...
General Reflections...	Mike is one of the best gentleman I've coached against. He continued to grow as a coach and change his approach to fit his players up until he retired. His teams were always the toughest, most well prepared and difficult to play against. I'm happy he's retiring on his terms. Maybe now there will be a few more wins out there for the rest of us. Thanks for everything Griff.


Name	Allan Gadsden
Relationship to Coach Griffin	Friend/former assistant coach
RPI Class Year (if applicable)
One word that best describes Coach Griffin...	Genuine
A Most Memorable Moment...	Best memory...was him saying he'd love for me to be on his staff as an assistant coach. I thought it was just going to be a coaching job and I was wrong it turned out to become a great friendship that has and will last a lifetime. Thanks Coach for everything!

Name	Michael Bruce
Relationship to Coach Griffin	Jack of all trades (off the court)
RPI Class Year (if applicable)	2008 / 2010
One word that best describes Coach Griffin...	Class
A Most Memorable Moment...	Winning the league title in 2009, seeing Coach ecstatic after the Steelers won two Super Bowls
General Reflections...	Simply put, Coach's program exemplified teamwork, hard work, selflessness, and friendship. I can't even shoot a free throw, yet most of my most cherished memories from Troy stem from RPI Basketball.

Name	Marty Lewis
Relationship to Coach Griffin	Parent of Class of 2016 Guard Will Lewis and Camper in 1970s
RPI Class Year (if applicable)
One word that best describes Coach Griffin...	One word will not adequately describe Coach Griffin
A Most Memorable Moment...	Camp Lenox in Lee, MA during the summers of the 1970s ... Coach Griffin along with his coach at Columbia, Jack Rohan, were instrumental in making the camp experience great for those of us who loved basketball. Everyday we got the opportunity to learn the game and improve our skills. I am a youth basketball (AAU) coach today because of the love for the game that I obtained during those years and find myself repeating many of the things I was taught by Coach Griffin. My son, Will, also had the opportunity to play for and learn from Coach Griffin this past season at RPI. The Lewis family has more than a 40-year association with Coach Griffin spanning two generations.
General Reflections...	Outstanding teacher who thoroughly enjoys what he does. Coach Griffin has positively impacted the lives of thousands of young men over the years, whether as a basketball coach or camp counselor. I wish Coach Griffin all the best in his retirement and thank him for coaching both me and my son!

Name	Bob Hummel
Relationship to Coach Griffin	Player (Colgate 1976- 80), Assistant Coach (RPI 2010-12)
RPI Class Year (if applicable)
One word that best describes Coach Griffin...	Balanced Passion (sorry- two words)
A Most Memorable Moment...	As a 17 year old naive high school senior from Long Island, Coach Griffin offered me the chance to attend Colgate University and play basketball. That decision changed my life for the better in countless ways. Then after coaching high school basketball for over 25 years, I was out of a coaching job - Coach Griffin offered me another opportunity - to assist him at RPI. Those two years changed my approach to coaching young men in many ways - for the better. If it wasn't for the long commute to RPI I never would have left. I am now back coaching high school basketball with a much better approach to the everyday challenges that come with the territory. If I ever have enough players, I will use "the RPI system!"....an exciting approach to the game.
General Reflections...	Best of luck- enjoy the challenges of being a full time grandfather!"....Spoil 'em! Thanks for believing in me!

Name	Pat Martin
Relationship to Coach Griffin	Mother of class of 2013 recruit Dan Martin
RPI Class Year (if applicable)	2013
One word that best describes Coach Griffin...	Dedicated
A Most Memorable Moment...	Outperforming all other coaches recruiting my son and proudly representing one of the finest but under appreciated colleges in the US!
General Reflections...	A Big Man who knew the unique importance of the Big Man's role in the game! Plus, incredibly smart which gives the added skill that is most often unexpected yet deadly!

Name	Paul Halas
Relationship to Coach Griffin	former player and assistant coach
RPI Class Year (if applicable)	2006
One word that best describes Coach Griffin...	Genuine
A Most Memorable Moment...	too many to name but a few would be beating Skidmore in double overtime after being down 18 with 8 minutes to go. Beating Union. Beating Hamilton on "knicks" with Tim Rupp hitting a running three at the buzzer. Going to the NCAA Tournament after beating Hamilton and St. Lawrence in the conference tournament
General Reflections...	It is hard to sum up my thoughts after getting to spend so much time with Coach for the last 12 years. He helped me grow as a player but more importantly helped me grow as a person and gave me the opportunity to follow my dreams and become a coach. He has had such an impact on my life and I can't thank him enough for giving me the chance to not only play college basketball but to coach as well. I learned so much from him and I use the lessons he taught me every day in my coaching career

Name	Bobby Hurley
Relationship to Coach Griffin	former student-athlete
RPI Class Year (if applicable)	2001
One word that best describes Coach Griffin...	Composed
A Most Memorable Moment...	I have so many memorable moments from my four years at RPI. Some of the most memorable include our Florida trip, the NYU tournament (where we may have hit some cars with the bus), Friday morning runs, and enjoying the competition in practice every day with my teammates.
General Reflections...	I had a great four years and I learned so much during my time. Many of Coach Griff's principles on and off the court are what I teach and stress to our student-athletes at Stevens on a daily basis. I thank him for making my college experience enjoyable and also for providing me with a foundation to become a college basketball coach.

Name	Sam Zullo
Relationship to Coach Griffin	Player
RPI Class Year (if applicable)	2008
One word that best describes Coach Griffin...	Genuine
A Most Memorable Moment...	Buzzer beater at NYU to go into OT
General Reflections...	Griff taking me in as a transfer from Hamilton changed my life. I had given up on basketball and had given up on myself. I had to learn how to work hard for what I wanted for the first time in my life. I struggled in many ways and am sure that I gave Griff headaches on many occasions. He never quit on me and never stopped giving me opportunities to prove myself. I learned how to become a better basketball player and ultimately a better man under Coach Griff. I am now a high school basketball coach and have a very successful career. I can truly say that I wouldn't be in his position of pursuing my dreams and passion if Coach Griff had never taken a chance on me. Best of luck to you in all of your future endeavors coach, I thank you for all that you have done for me. You have changed my life in more ways than you know.

Name	Doug Spector
Relationship to Coach Griffin	Friend and Camper
RPI Class Year (if applicable)
One word that best describes Coach Griffin...	Mentor
A Most Memorable Moment...	At the impressionable age of 13 I showed up to camp one summer having adopted Henry Bibby's style of shooting foul shots from 2 feet to the right of center on the foul line. After watching me miss 8 in a row Coach Griff "suggested" (that's being kind) that I move to the middle of the free throw stripe and I proceeded to bury my next 7 shots in a row. Never again would I ever question any "suggestion" made to me by any of my coaches.
General Reflections...	One of the classiest, funniest, smart, dedicated and most respected people I have ever met. Not only did he help to mold me into the man I am today but I have 2 sons who, with Griff's help and under his watch during summers at Camp Cobbossee, have turned into fine young men who continue to accomplish great things! Best of luck Griff!!

Name	Scott Kirkpatrick
Relationship to Coach Griffin	Played for Griff, took his position as Asst Coach at RPI when he left
RPI Class Year (if applicable)	1971
One word that best describes Coach Griffin...	Gregarious
A Most Memorable Moment...	So many, but the most memorable time was when I spent a summer at Camp Tomahawk in New Hampshire with Mike... Mike was AD at Boys camp, his wife AD at Girls camp, I ran the Basketball Program, My wife the Camp Nurse... it was the best summer of our lives.
General Reflections...	A misplaced (Geographicly) Pittsburgher, just like me... he was so professional through good seasons and bad... a very, very good friend... ENJOY RETIREMENT